Thematic developments in doctoral research in the philosophy of education: A study of three decades of changes (1370-1399)

This study aims to inform students and researchers about the thematic status of doctoral dissertations in the field of Philosophy of Education. It examines the thematic topics of these dissertations over the past three decades. The research is applied in nature and adopts a qualitative approach for data collection. Specifically, it uses qualitative content analysis with an inductive approach. Data analysis was conducted using MaxQDA software. The sample consisted of 245 theses from doctoral dissertations in the Philosophy of Education from public universities over the last three decades (1370–1399). An exhaustive sampling method was employed.The analysis of three decades of doctoral dissertations in Philosophy of Education shows that Iran’s academic community has transitioned from focusing on theoretical issues, such as educational theories, in the 1970s to addressing more practical and contemporary topics, like new technologies, in the 1990s. It can be said that, over these three decades, there has been a consistent movement from foundational topics toward applied and emerging subjects. This trend reflects efforts to address challenges related to technology, educational justice, and indigenous issues, emphasizing that Iran’s scientific community is shifting towards research aligned with real-world needs and current issues. However, there is a recognized need for strategic planning to better cover a broader range of topics.